The use of the January 6 tapes by Tucker Carlson has been limited after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy granted him and Fox News access to view them. According to a Republican source, the tapes will be subject to a security review before they can be released to the public.
The decision by McCarthy to give Carlson access to the tapes has sparked controversy, with news outlets demanding access and Democrats warning against their release. However, Republicans have defended the move, saying it is important for transparency and accountability.
According to Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), Carlson’s team will review the tape and make sure that “nothing sensitive” or “classified” is disclosed.
“It’s basically controlled access to be able to view tapes. Can’t record, can’t take anything with you,” Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), who chairs the House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight, said in response to a question from The Hill.
Carlson’s team “may request any particular clips they may need, then we’ll make sure there’s nothing sensitive, nothing classified, including escape routes,” Loudermilk told CBS News. “We don’t want al Qaeda to know certain things.”
In a move that drew both praise and criticism, Carlson stated he would start sharing what his investigation revealed this week, while other news organizations requested equal access. Loudermilk assured that House Republicans intend to eventually grant public access to the tapes, though he noted it could take weeks or months until that happens. Regarding why McCarthy chose to give the footage over to Carlson in particular, McCarthy simply said it was part of his promise “to the American public” for them “to make their own judgment.”
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) applauded McCarthy’s decision on Twitter saying “the public deserves to see everything that was hidden.” Conversely, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) warned of potential security risks from disclosing the tapes and speculated it could be used as a guide for future insurrection attempts in 2024. Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), however, reassured that any disclosure would be closely examined for sensitive information.